“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.”  Josh Billings

I would characterize Jackson as a dog whose love language was “touch,” but that is probably not a strong enough descriptor.  His love language was more like “press.”  If I stopped to pet or scratch him, he was not satisfied until he is pressing in or leaning against me.  If he laid on the floor at my feet, it had to be on my feet.  If I laid next to him on the floor, he would either stretch out with his entire length in contact with me, or he press against me with his paws.  Not just soft pressure but firm, uninterrupted pressing . When working at my desk, he would lay across my feet under the desk.

I am certain that there was some form of doggie affection in this, but these behaviors seemed to be more about his source of security and comfort.  They were his grounding.   Over the years we were a team, I believe Jackson came to grasp the fact that I would not hurt him or forsake him.  Jackson seemed to demonstrate his trust in me by always staying close and pressing into me many times each day.

This is a great illustration of the relationship we can have with our God. Like Jackson, so much of how many of us live and move in the world is based upon fear.  We react to our environment in ways informed by our traumatic experiences, our losses, our wounds and our betrayals.

For most people, the reactions will be to shell up, to hole up, to shut up, or to give up.  How great it would be if we could respond to our God as Jackson responded to me. When Jackson was fearful or insecure, he sought me out and pressed his head or his paws firmly into me. We, too, could be encouraged if we would draw near and press into our only reliable source of comfort and security. 

As John the Apostle wrote in I John 4:18 – “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”  When we love our God, relaxing and resting in His love for us, we can live without fear.  Without having to shell up, to hole up, to shut up, or to give up.  We can know the comfort and security of the love and nearness of our God.

Jackson did not always have this freedom to press into me.  Many are the times I had to crawl into the closet to coax him out of his hiding place where he had “holed up.”  Over time, he began to leave the closet without coaxing, with only an invitation or even just saying his name.  And when he came out, it was usually to press into my leg or to sit at my feet and await a hug.

It pleases our God when we come out of our hiding to press into Him often during the day.  It can be a great source of strength, comfort, courage, and security to us to do so.

Images via author, near Sandpoint, Idaho and Spokane, Washington.